Steelers cut RB Chris Rainey after arrest in Florida

Jan. 10, 2013
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Chris Rainey was charged with one count of simple battery (dating violence) and taken to the Alachua County Jail for booking after witnesses allegedly saw Rainey slap his girlfriend during an argument. / Gainesville Police Department

by Rachel George and Chris Strauss, USA TODAY Sports

by Rachel George and Chris Strauss, USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers cut running back Chris Rainey several hours after he was arrested in Gainesville, Fla., on one count of simple battery (dating violence) Thursday morning following an argument with his girlfriend over his cell phone.

"Chris Rainey's actions this morning were extremely disappointing," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement Thursday afternoon. "Under the circumstances and due to this conduct, Chris will no longer be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers."

According to a press release from the Gainesville Police Department, Rainey, 24, began pulling the victim from the passenger side of his roommate's vehicle before witnesses observed him slap her across the face with an open hand. After the victim ran away, Rainey allegedly chased her down because his cell phone was in her bag and grabbed the bag, knocking both of them to the ground.

Officer Ben Tobias, spokesman for the Gainesville PD, said Rainey admitted to trying to grab the purse to get his phone but denied slapping her.

"We do have at least two witnesses that saw that part of it," he said.

Rainey told police that the woman fell out of the car when he went to reach for her purse and that he chased her after she ran away. The two fell to the ground, Rainey said, when he tried to grab the purse again.

Rainey, who has reportedly been dating the victim for nine months, was arrested by the Gainesville Police Department and taken to Alachua County Jail for booking.

The running back will remain in the Alachua County Jail at least until Friday morning when he will have a first appearance in court, Tobias said.

Rainey went to college in Gainesville, starring as a running back for the University of Florida football team before being selected by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL draft.

This isn't the first time Rainey has spent time in the Alachua County Jail in relation to his conduct with women. Rainey was arrested on a charge of felony aggravated stalking in September 2010 and accepted deferred prosecution for a lesser charge of misdemeanor stalking after he texted his on-again, off-again girlfriend of three years, "Time to Die bitch."

The victim supported the reduction in charges and released a statement following the conclusion of that case.

"We have known Chris Rainey for three years and never during that time has he displayed any violent or threatening behavior towards us or anyone," she wrote. "His actions that night were out of character for reasons unknown to us, which is why we stood up in court on his behalf."

As he was in 2010, Rainey is being represented by Gainesville attorney Huntley Johnson, who frequently represents current or former UF players in court.

Reached Thursday afternoon, Johnson said he had spoken with Rainey but could not provide comment at this time.

Rainey played a sporadic role in the Steelers backfield as a rookie this season, contributing mostly on special teams, where he returned 39 kicks for 1,035 yards as the team's primary kick returner.